Herzog calls for Haymanot Kassaw to be located and admits failures in absorbing Ethiopian Jewish immigrants

In depth

President Isaac Herzog called on the government, the Shin Bet and the police to do everything to locate Haymanot Kassaw, who has not yet been returned home. At the central rally marking the Sigd holiday in Jerusalem, which her family also attended, Herzog said: "The girl Haymanot Kassaw has not yet been returned home and she is the daughter of us all." He said everything must be done to bring about her immediate location.

In his speech, Herzog acknowledged that the State of Israel erred and failed in the absorption and acceptance processes of Ethiopian immigrants, and said: "The State of Israel, which was privileged and succeeded in bringing you here, erred and failed in the absorption and acceptance processes of many of the immigrants." He called for providing equal opportunity to Ethiopian Jews and for uprooting racism and exclusion directed at them.

Addressing the election campaign, Herzog said that after the elections the country needs to cleanse itself of the poison spilled in every direction, and called on the public to conduct the elections in a worthy manner. "I know there is a great effort to locate the girl, and I pray it will succeed," the president said.